Science 9: ASTRONOMY NEWSPAPER PROJECT

Science 9

 

ASTRONOMY NEWSPAPER PROJECT

You will work together in a group to publish a newspaper on space science.  This newspaper can be written for people on different planets or even different galaxies!  The criteria for the project are listed below: download your assignment 

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Words and phrases linked within the assignment will also take you to excellent information.

CONTENT (Individual mark)	40 marks	Include the topics listed below table Discuss required topics using CREATIVITY & a variety of formats (e.g. new story, cartoon, horoscopes, editorial, sports, weather, entertainment, advice column, etc). reporter's questions **IF YOU ARE CAUGHT PLAGARIZING, YOU WILL RECEIVE "ZERO" FOR THIS PART OF THE PROJECT
FORMAT & PRESENTATION (Group mark)	50 marks	Easy to read, not too crowded, not too many open spaces Title & sections are obvious (e.g. headings for news, fashion, classified, cartoons, etc.) & pages organized Correct grammar, spelling, punctuation Index on front page, pages numbered, names on articles Pictures and drawings Coloured borders/outlines around information/pictures Colourful, eye-catching titles, neat glue job (i.e. no corners loose), straight lines when cutting, etc. Overall presentation and creativity
ROUGH DRAFTS/FACTS ON FILE NOTES (Individual mark)	25 marks	Facts on files notes (need notes from each member) Drafts of articles and any drawings Work completion during class time
BIBLIOGRAPHY (Group mark)	5 marks	Use a variety of resources (book, internet, encyclopedia, etc.) bibliography is correctly written up
GROUP QUIZ (Group mark)	30 marks	Using only the information in your group's newspaper, you will complete a quiz on astronomy

 

REQUIRED TOPICS TO BE INCLUDED:

Major topics (each member must research ONE “major” topic):

A) Describe the first 4 planets closest to the sun in our solar system (order & diameter of 9 planets, number of rings, distance from sun, orbits around sun, period of rotation, surface temperature, number of moons)

B) Describe the 4 planets furthest from the sun in our solar system (order & diameter of 9 planets, distance from sun, orbits around sun, period of rotation, surface temperature, number of moons)

C) Describe the pros and cons of space research and space travel [i.e. refer to exposure of humans to risk
(include space shuttle Challenger and Columbia disasters), time and money needed (i.e. cost to send 1 kg of stuff into space, to build equipment, to send probes to far out planets), colonizing other planets, search for extraterrestrials, militarization of space, essential human needs that must be met in space) (medical risks)

 D) Compare the life cycles of different sizes of stars ® must include white dwarf, nebula, red giant,
black hole, supernova & neutron star and must research differences in masses, temperature, composition, age and know how colour can indicate surface temperatures on the stars

 Minor topics (each member must research ONE “minor” topic):

 A) Describe what remote sensing techniques and equipment are used for in terms of space travel and research (artificial satellites, space probes, Hubble Space telescope, rovers, rockets, International Space Station and the Canadarm, space shuttles).

 B) Describe 10 important discoveries or events in astronomy (include dates and also include how Kepler and Copernicus contributed to the field of astronomy)

 C) Research the earth’s moon (diameter, mass, temperature, composition, distance from the earth, how did it form, lunar eclipse, length of rotation and why does the moon revolve around the earth)

 D) Research the sun (diameter, mass, temperature, composition, different layers, solar eclipse, sun spots, solar wind, solar flares & prominences and why do all of the planets in the solar system revolve around it)

 PLUS!! Each person must research 2 additional topics of their choice (e.g. info on moon walks, the moons of Jupiter, Earth’s moon, the sun, etc.).

There are 3 bonus topics that can be included (5 marks each):

· What are the requirements to be an astronaut? You can include this in the classified ads or “Career” section.

· Interview an elderly person: you could ask them questions about what they thought about when man landed on the moon, the first space shuttle into space, the deaths of the Challenger astronauts, Haley’s comet, etc. Include this in one of your sections of the newspaper.

· Flyers selling equipment including prices for telescopes, etc. (e.g. London Drugs style flyer). Coupons?

MORE IDEAS

(Space Tourism) (Interview with an astronaut) (Creative space questions) (Time Travel)

Resources Requirements:

 Minimum requirement of resources (this is PER GROUP - each group has to have this):
· 3 books
· 1 encyclopedia (must be encyclopedia book and not on-line encyclopedia like Encarta
· 5 internet sites (see handout for reliable astronomy sites)
· 1 other resources (magazines, newspapers, broadcasts from internet sites (must be different from the 4 internet sites above)

 If you are caught PLAGARIZING any part of your project, you will receive a ZERO for your project. Plagiarism is a serious academic crime!!!

TIMELINE/DUE DATES (make a copy of each of your topics – you won’t get it back):

• On _________________________________ each person needs to hand in 1 of their 4 topics.
• On _________________________________ each person needs to hand in the 2^nd of their 4 topics.
• On _________________________________ each person needs to hand in the 3^rd of their 4 topics.
• On _________________________________ each person needs to hand in the last of their 4 topics.

You MUST hand in your newspaper project on ____________________ (even if you have not finished it completely). You will have you newspaper group quiz on the last day of the semester ______________

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